Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1887-07-07

but expressive nomenclature pecufiar 70 the
times as jackson men," and whole hog
jackson men," Douglas, bold, aggressive, de-
cided in every thing, was the abiest leader
and champion Of that wing OF the party which
enjoyed the latter aprellation- When mere
lad Logan was attracted toward this champion
OF the hero OF his childish admiration, and I'M
I'll the hours when, in the opening OF the civil
strife, with eloquent admonitions OF loyalty
and patriotism upon hts lips, the great Senator
expired Logan was his devoted friend and ear
nest supporter. General Logan attended the
Charleston convention, and labored with all
the zeal for which he was so remarkable,
for the nomination OF the great states
man for the Presidency. He, at the flnal adjourn
ment and breaking up OF that convention, was
satisfied that unless some means could be found
20 allay the bitter feeling, there would be civil
war. He did every thing In his power 70 bring
about harmony, but in vain. He attempted AZ
Charleston TO address tho excited and unreason-
able populace from the balcony OF hotel, but
was hovled down. few years lator Union
bombsheil fell upon the spot whore he stood,
enforcing respect and consideration upon peo-
pie who would not listen 70 reason. In Congress
Logan advocated the Crittenden Compromise.
and favored every means 70 avert the horrors OF
was He was reelected upon the Douglas tick
ct in 1891
There has been great deal said inregard TO
General Logan's position at the outbreak OF the
war OF the rebellion. That he vas an earnest
and devoted patriot is beyond controversy. De-
votbon TO his country was with him, during
every wakefui hour and moment Of his event
ful life, an absorbing passion. More than home,
and friends, and kindred, and life ITSELF he
loved his country. Upon what was for the best
interests OF his country, he differed more than
half his life with most OF us who trace our an
cestry 70 New England. His associations had
been mostly with those who had emigrated
from the South. The then Inhabited portion OF
Illinois was contiguous TO slave States While
the people Of Illinois did not want slavery
among them, they were associated with and
bound by tics OF kindred to people who owned
siaves
They had an extraordinary, abnormal preju-
dice against the negroes, which was even more
intense than the prejudice in the Slave States.
They not only did not want negro slaves among
them, but they did not want negroes at all. The
inhabited portion Of the State being so near and
so easy OF access, from Missouri Kentucky and
Tennessee, there was fear that the country
would be overrun by negroes escaping from their
masters 1t has often been charged that General
Logan conceived those brutal Laws which so long
disgraced our statute book, known as the Black
Laws Those laws were passed and in force in
Illinois before General Logan was born. They
were passed by the first Legislature that as
sembled after the State was admitted into the
Union. and were continued IL eli the revisions
OF the laws until the war. The object OF the
law was to discourage iree negroes from coming
to the State, and 70 discourage runaway slaves
from coming to Illinois TO get free. Prejudice
against the colored people pervaded the Demo.
cratic party TO q greater degree than any other,
but was not confined TO the Democratic party
1t may be said that 1t was general. In Illinois,
until the war; negroes we're never citizens, nor
we're they allowed any political privileges.
In the light of the present day, with the black
man free, with the black man o voter and eligi.
"a a. fFiaNf in fafM ~ Tyrf.
the black man frequently in high official posi-
ton, translated from his home far away 10 the
proud District OF Columbia. and given office by
q Democratic President it scarcely seems pos
sible that such brutality and hsrbarism could
have been countenanced by a great political
party, since many OF US have grown into man
hood. That John A. Logan shared the senti-
ments of his party, in those days OF prejudice,
oppression and cruelty, can not be truthfully
denied.
Until he passed the meridian OF life, Logan
was the most conspicuously enthusiastic, ar
dent earnest and the most positive party man
OF the generation in which he lived To say
Of such man that he was q Democrat means
that he was the most fearless and earnest adj
vocate Of the ideas and sentiments OF the Dem
ocratic party. Such zeal while IL made him.
in the sphere In which he acted, the boldest
and most aggressive leader Of his party
brought against him the most bitter antagonism
~
time hated by the Republicans OF Illinois as
John A. Logan was hated. Not with per-
sonal hatred, for he was always esteemed by
those OF his political opponents who were &C
quaintcd with him. but political hatred, by
the tens Of thousands OF Republicans who had
read his utterances. A bitter epithet was APP
piled to him. with which his name was always
associated In every Republican newspaper
and in every Republican speech, from
the time he entered public life as a promk
nent figure, until the outbreak OF the war OF
1he rebellion. He, next to Senator Douglas,
was the most potent antagonist OF the Repub-
hcan party. Young, vigorous, man who had
fought for his country in war, bold, eloquent
aggressive, arising, reelected member OF Con-
gress, with constituency behind him that had
elected him by majority Of twenty thousand;
In perfect accord with the people OF his dis
trct in a life timo OF antagonism to every idea
and principle of the Republican party, which
had just come into power, his ringing denuncia-
tons in the campaign just closed, OF Lincoln,
and Trumbull, and Lovejoy, and Yates still re-
sounding through the State, could such O man
break away from friends, and party, and asso-
ciatesf Could he give up every place and posi-
ton already attained, and every aspiration, and
cast his lot with those who had mahgned, ira
duced and scoired at him, and go homo rs pri-
vate citizen, Single handed and alone, to his
people, and tell them face to face that he was
going out to fight and kill and seek to over
wheim people with whom he and they were
connected by ties of kindred and ask them
to go with himt Is it strange that
patriots should have doubtedi That
"Timeo Danaos. OF dona ferentes"
should have risen TO their lipss Is it strange
that both his old friends, with whom he would
go no farther, and his old enemies, toward
whom he turned, should have doubtedi They
did not yet know John A. Logan. They had not
yet begun to comprehend the height and
depth, the length and breadth of his character.
They knew him only as an able. Jealous advo-
cate OF the principles Of party, but did not
realize that influences reaching through thou
sand diverse communications and many civili-
nations had conspired to round up in fullness
and glory sublime character. Aye, men
doubted but it was the distrust Of human
nature rather than of the individual man. II
was the doubt that there lived human being
broad enough and great enough TO fling away
every prospect and hope OF life; to give up
place, position and power, and friends, and over
leap the aspiration OF all former endeavor to
save his country.
He resigned his seat in Congress and went TO
his homo, where, as his biogrspher relates,
Almost every tie he had, save that OF his pa
triotic wife, was aTrayed against him. So in
famed indeed was the public mind, that deeds
OF open defiance against the Government were
imminent He called a meeting OF the people,
and, mounting wagon, addressed vast null
titude, who, strongly sympathztng with the
South, were little less than turbulent, howl
ing mob"
He was not dismayed. but drew picture OF
tho inevitable consequences Of treason and dis
union, to them and their families and their
country, and closed with the announcement
that he was going to enlist as a private or in
any capacity in which he could serve his coun-
try best in defending the old blood stained flag
over every foot Of soil In the United States.
As the most winning and effective preachers
of the gospel, 70 whom he had listened
with rapture IN his boyhood. continually
before sorrowing, sinful, sympathetic souls
he went, held up before his fellow-citizens the
flag Of his country with all the sacrifices, SUI
fering and glory it represented. He spoke
again and again, travelling night and day. His
voice was everywhere heard. Those counties
OF Egypt which had given the largest MAORI
ties OF any IN the Free States TO prevent Abra-
ham Lincoln from occupying the Presidential
chair, furnished, in proportion TO population,
the greatest number Of soldiers 70 his armies
The moral effect of General Logan's unequivo-
cal position can scarcely be over-estimated. In
all his career as q soldier, splendid as it was,
1t may be doubted whether be accomplished
in the field more for his country in fighting her
battles than in the influence be excrted ia sol
idifying the masses Of the people ct the out
break OF the rebellion.
Happy would it have been for their country
and honorable for themselves, il all the disttn-
guished men OF HIS party had possessed the
grandeur Of character OF John A. Logan.
To recount the incidents Of the career OF Gen
eral Logan from the time he led away from
their peaceful svocations his neighbors and
friends, in regiment OF which their unanimous
voice had made him Colonel, 70 tho day when
he ~ ha eoidter wouid q N viv